Our weekly Fridays at First program which operates during the winter months (November 1 to mid-April) to serve people who need a time for socializing and a nutritious meal, is in need of money. The program depends on donations, and we have not asked for help in the past year or so.
The group also provides meals to Better Tent City. The Food Bank provides boxes of ingredients, and Cathie Stewart-Savage and her faithful volunteer crew prepare about 100 meals (40-50 for Fridays at First, 60 for Better Tent City). Other volunteers come in to serve, and others to clean up. Guests begin to arrive about 2:00 for socializing and snacks, dinner is served at 6:00, and the doors close about 7:30, when the clean-up crew takes over.
As we all know, food is very expensive, and even with the Food Bank donation, there is much to purchase--between $800-$1,000 per month. Boxes from the Food Bank arrive on Thursday, and from that Cathie plans a menu and purchases what is needed, always with good nutrition in mind.
There are envelopes available for donations. In order to receive a tax receipt, cheques should be made out to First United Church, with Fridays at First in the allocation line. Any amount will be greatly appreciated. If a tax receipt is not required, the cheque can be made to Out of the Cold, First United Church.
Shirley Irish, Treasurer, on behalf of Fridays at First.